...Despair. That was all that once controlled the heart of Ester, who was called a saint.

Born into a prestigious noble family, she was bestowed the title of the "Saint" at a young age due to her unparalleled beauty, pure aura, and abilities, and lived a life of smooth sailing.

The life of Saint Ester, however, took a dark turn following a tragic incident one day.

While inspecting a remote territory as part of her church duties, a powerful horde of monsters suddenly appeared and attacked the peaceful village.

Ester and the adventurers who were there dealt with the situation, but the magic cast by the last remaining monster leader...

That's what struck Ester and those who were there. It unleashed an overwhelming curse, and everyone was defiled.

Only one person survived, and that was Ester.

Ester was immediately carried into the church, but the curse had already ravaged her entire body.

Beautiful silver hair was beginning to be interspersed with ominous black streaks, as if ink had been dripped onto it in places.

Her skin, which had been as clear as glass, was now covered in patterns like the bark of an old tree, causing a visceral sense of revulsion in those who saw it.

More than anything, what was most painful was the constant, dull ache that gnawed at her body, resonating deep within her bones, and the unbearable fatigue that gradually sapped her vitality.

Ester's curse was so powerful that even skilled healers couldn't cure it.

The results were terrible.

As the curse progressed, her appearance became increasingly grotesque, which made them uneasy. They openly frowned and gradually began to keep their distance.

"The Cursed Saintess" ―Once revered for her beauty and grace, she had now become a figure feared and avoided by the people.

No one dares to touch her anymore.

No one offered her kind words anymore, and she was completely alone.

Ester's value as a "Saint" was completely lost, and she was eventually stripped of even her title and completely banished from the church.

After that, Ester relied on every connection she had, clinging to any hope, and visited renowned healers and large temples.

However, everyone who saw her curse shook their heads in unison, either pitying her or looking at her as if she were filth, and gave up.

"This is beyond our capabilities," "It's an unclean curse. Even getting involved is abhorrent," they said.

On the contrary, there were even wicked people who approached her with sweet words like "Perhaps we can cure you," and then swindled her out of her meager savings. Even when she ran to the guards to report the fraud, she was cursed and told, "What are you saying in that hideous, monstrous form?" and "Don't come near, you cursed creature, you're disgusting."

And so, Ester was abandoned one after another from every corner of society. There was no longer a place of rest for her anywhere in the world.

That's why he was in despair.

Ester began to wander aimlessly, searching for a place where no one knew her, where she wouldn't have to interact with anyone.

―How long have I been walking?

She arrived at a small village.

It was a remote village, untouched by the hustle and bustle of a big city, where time seemed to have stood still, and a quiet, somewhat desolate atmosphere lingered. There were no tall buildings, no bustling markets, just scattered old houses and the occasional glimpse of villagers diligently working in their fields.

She walked through the village with her hood pulled deeply over her head, hiding the curse marks. Perhaps she could survive here. Quietly, without interacting with anyone―.

Even though Ester was thinking that way, she still didn't want her face under the hood to be seen.

Because Ester was walking with her head down in a daze, she was a moment late in noticing the person coming from the front.

"...Kya!"

"Oh, I'm... sorry. Are you okay?"

With a light thud, Ester bumped into someone.

The person she bumped into was a somewhat unremarkable-looking man wearing a slightly worn white coat. He was thin, a bit stooped, and his eyes held a mixture of resignation and gentleness.

His apologetic expression revealed his kind and gentle nature.

Ester pulled her hood that had shifted slightly from the impact even deeper as she hastily offered words of apology.

"...N-no, I... I'm the one who... was careless... I'm... I'm sorry..."

She said it as if she were muttering only that, but at that moment, Ester realized.

That the man had clearly seen Ester's hand.

Just imagining how the man would react next made Ester shudder. Would he curse, sneer, or scream with a face contorted in fear? The soul-crushing treatment that had been repeated countless times before flashed through her mind.

"I don't want to be mistaken, but... isn't that hand of yours cursed?"

With a gentle voice, the man carefully and intently held Ester's hand.

Even though everyone refused to even touch it, he didn't hesitate at all.

After seeing that, Ester was surprised and looked up, and he had a very worried expression on his face.

Chapter 17